John Donegan | Y |
|
Eddie Keogh | |||||
Packie Kelly |
|
Brendan Finn | ||||||
Tommy Cregoe |
|
James O'Callaghan | ||||||
John Murphy |
|
Robbie Best | Y | |||||
Willie Byrne | Y |
|
Mick Scully | |||||
Kenny O'Rourke | R |
|
Paul Hall | |||||
Mark Clifford |
|
Broinn | (off 80) | |||||
Keith Dalton | (inj 51) |
|
Andy Myler | |||||
Donal Golden | 1 (pen) |
|
Paul Smyth | (off 74) | ||||
Ciaran Dalton |
|
Carl Wilson | R | |||||
Liam O'Connor | Y |
|
Colin Notaro | |||||
Michael Cashman | (on 51) |
|
Paddy O'Hanlon | (on 74) | ||||
|
Johnathon Treacy | (on 80) | ||||||
|
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|
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|
COBH RAMBLERS had
to rely on an 84th minute penalty from new signing Donal Golden to secure
the points as they and Monaghan United struggled for long periods to shake
off the cobwebs of their summer break.
Mis-timed tackles
were the order of the day and both sides were reduced to ten men. Monaghan's
Carl Wilson was given his marching orders on 57 minutes and was followed
by Cobh's Kenny O'Rourke for his second booking 20 minutes later.
Cobh were obviously
the happier of the two sides after collecting the three points but more
importantly for manager John O'Rourke was the ease with which their new
signings, Golden, goalkeeper John Donnegan and American Ciaran Dalton,
settled into the side.
Golden was bustling
with energy up front where he put his physical frame to great use by breaking
ball for Dalton who looked very impressive on what was his national league
debut with his pace causing the Monaghan defenders headaches throughout
the game.
It was Donegan,
however, who was the most impressive of the new signings. The former Cork
City goalkeeper was in tremendous form as he pulled off a number of excellent
saves, the most impressive being an effort from Andy Myler that seemed
destined for the top corner of the Cobh net until Donegan threw himself
the full length of the goal to tip the ball away for a corner.
After a rather lacklustre
opening 45 minutes when neither side showed the hunger or indeed inspiration
needed to win the game, it suddenly sparkled into life seven minutes after
the break when Donegan was forced into a great double save from Colin Natoro
and Myler.
Following this early
scare Cobh eventually woke up and began to take the game to Monaghan but
were frustrated time and again as their finishing let them down and, just
when the game seemed certain to end scoreless, Cobh were awarded the penalty
for a handball.
Golden duly took
responsibility and sent the perfect kick to the top corner of the Monaghan
net to score his first goal for his new club and get Cobh's season off
to the perfect start.